Reading the Sword of Summer
by docdanny13164
Summary: Magnus Chase never expected to survive Ragnarok, and while he technically didn't, he also never expected to time travel, learn more about the gods, and read books from his point of view. But Magnus is selfish, and if it lets him spend a few more moments with his friends, he's willing to risk it all. *Cross-posted on Ao3
1. Authors Note

**Hey guys! Sorry about this but...I got a little tired of the way I wrote this before. I mean, I like the idea, but it just didn't get my creativity going anymore, ya know? So sorry to all the people who like the old version better.**

 **I'll be posting a new "First Chapter" as soon as I finish it. (I'm almost done, so it should be latter today! :))**

 **Just somethings to note before going into this, though.**

 **1\. I like the original book a lot, but I won't be covering them in this, well, not really anyway. I notice that a few people on other sites where mentioning "Reading the Rewrite" and I got caught up on the idea, so that's what this will be. The "Rewrite" will have some strange quirks that my schoolmates in writing club picked out, such as "Magnus had other friends, too!" or "Where the flaws, man?" and other things like that! So thanks to Mari-Anna, Arkie, and Craige-Tweek-the-Freak(his name is Kie, though.) for suggestions!**

 **2\. You can vote in! If you leave something you want changed in the comments, I'll look it over and we'll see if we can shove it into the final draft. (Ex:Make Blitz and Hearth a couple, PLZ! - Arkie.)**

 **3\. Since this will be a Rewrite, it'll take longer to post because of my writing process, along with school and going to bed on time for school AND studying, but I'll post a soon as I can.**

 **That beings said, I know I'm not a perfect writer, I'm young and inexperience, but I'm gonna blow your mind real quick and ask you for a favor: please leave critiques! I love those things, there the shit! Honestly, I think I'm too biased, since its my writing, so I'd like you to help out! :)**

 **(I'm also willing to pick up beta testers! You will be credited!)**

 **Thanks to everyone who read this. 3**

 **Bye!**


	2. The Offer of a Flower

To say that Magnus didn't expect to wake up would be an understatement. If fact, he was positive that he'd just died. He'd gotten used to death in Valhalla, seeing as he'd taken more sword to the chest than he liked. (At least he'd gotten over "Newbie Status" pretty quickly. He hated being called that.)

But he also knew that he wasn't supposed to wake up after he died, not this time. This death was supposed to be final, yet here he was, opening his eyes for the millionth time, the pain from his magma induced wounds disappearing and and odd sense of peace filling his hazy head.

He didn't recognize the ceiling in front of him, either. It wasn't the blue, cloudless sky that he woke up to in Valhalla, not that he expected it to be, after all, the hotel was nothing but ashes now. But it wasn't Hel's Palace, either.

Instead of the early, black stone, gray fires, and creepy torture chambers he was expecting, all he got was a small hollow of cut wood. He was spayed out on some kind of down mattress on the floor of an alcove. A few feet above him hung thick vines dotted with small, rainbow colored flowers.

Magnus sat up with a small grown.

The only bad thing about being a healer was that he could feel every injury his body suffered, and could tell how much pain radiated from each spot. (Well, that and the whole sharing pain and memories thing, that was pretty bad.) But luckily, a thousand years fighting had gotten him used to pain.

He could tell that his right ankle was still twisted from his fight with Fenrir, and that his back was still slowly repairing itself from the damage that the dead had dish-out during the beginning of the end. Well, he thought, that hurts.

Sighing, he channeled the power of Frey. His ankle started to mend, snapping back into place with the exact force that twisted it, while the wound on his back started closing, although he couldn't heal it fully, yet.

With shaking limbs and a hurting stomach, he stood up and made his way to the opening of his tiny alcove.

"Do not move." Magnus froze and wiped his head around. He hadn't noticed them before, but three tall lady dressed in white shawls stood by the wall next to his bed. He sighed, realizing who the three being must be.

They looked a lot different from their last meeting, over a thousand years before, but that just made them easier to tell apart.

Urd, the oldest of the Norns had her blonde hair up in a curly bun, and despite the weariness of her pupiless eyes and her tall stature, her face remained as youthful as her sisters. Verdandi, on the other hand, was of medium height and had her hair in a flowering braid, and her eyes connected wonderingly with Magnus for only a moment, before they went back to wondering the wall. The youngest, Skuld, was even shorter than he was, with her curly hair pulled back in a ponytail with a rainbow flower hair clip. She was the only one who made direct eye contact with him, while the others seemed to look everywhere but.

"My ladies," He said, bowing to them, before wincing as it aggravated the gashes on his back. "Why is it that you have brought me to your hall?"

"Time is a fickle thing, Son of Summer," Skuld murmured, her voice sound far to sweet and motherly for a body so young. "It's been playing out for ages and not once have we decided to alter it to fit the needs of one person. Nor has anyone been able to alter it from the one we set."

Magnus stared at her, confusion obvious on his face. Just before he could ask what she meant, though Urd continued for her.

"But you, Magnus Chase, Child of Frey, have managed the unthinkable." Her eyes burned like liquid gold. "You have stopped Ragnarok several time, although you only managed to change the inevitable. You've save lives not supposed to be saved and changed many things not supposed to be changed. And yet, you seem unhappy with all that you've done."

"Your options as to go forward however, are options only you can make. "Skuld took over. "But they may very well defined time as a whole." The girl waved her hands, and one of the pretty rainbow flowers appeared in it. It reminded Magnus a lot of the roses that Mallory would wear in her hair during weddings, but also the silver carnations that Alex (dear god, he-he'll never see her again, will he?) forced him, Half-born, and T.J to plant outside the hotel. They reminded him of Sam and Amir and Blitz and Hearth and everyone else that he lost in his life.

"We offer you the chance to save them, Magnus," He looked up so quickly he was surprised his neck didn't brake. Verdandi had spoken for the first time since the conversation began, and her words sent shivers down his back. "This flower will take you back a long, long time, to the era of the gods, before Ragnarok was even predicted to happen." Books appeared in her hand the same way the flower was created. "You can warn them of a future that might befall them if they do not change it. The people you care about, although a lot younger, will be there to help you as well."

"It's your choice, Freyson," Skuld added in that quiet, mother voice that made him want to cry. "Go back and risk everything to change the future, or move on to the chambers of Helheim, were we promise Hel will not touch you or any of those you hold dear? But know that, either way, you will disappear at the end of the Raze?"

A lump was logged in Magnus' throat. He and his friends had done so much to save the world they were in now, and he couldn't be so selfish as to erase it, just to pacify the need to see them again?

He was better than that.

All he had to say was "Helheim" right? Then he'd go into one of those lonely dark rooms were the dead (it used to be dishonorable dead, but not anymore) spent their night. He might see one of his friends again, but they'd be pale and ghostly and not the same- But they'd be happy that the fight was over, happy to rest outside of Hel's steely reach.

He couldn't take that away from them, though. It shouldn't matter, they'd already told him he'd disappear at the end, anyway. (But maybe he could save them if he went back?)

He opened his mouth to speak.

"I-I'll take the flower, miladies."

As the Norns grinned and rushed towards him, all he could this a bout was how he was to selfish for his own good.

When Magnus woke up again, he was getting really tired of waking up. His body still burned all over, but he was on a much less comfortable place. The marble ground beneath him shone pristine in the light that wash from the candles on the wall. Several tall archways led away from the circular room he was in.

Immediately, he recognized the place as the hall of the Asir, the place that housed not only the meeting place of the gods, but also the high throne of Odin.

He sat up quickly, wince as he pulled open his injured back even more. Even for a son of Frey, the wounds were slow to heal.

"Oh, who are you?" Magnus turned around as fast as possible, but sighed in relief when he relized who had found him.

He had met Balder and Hodur only once before, but they were two of the kindest gods he'd ever met, despite one being the god of darkness and winter.

As always, the god of purity was smiling and guiding his twins hand. He was a handsome dude, with hair the color of browned honey and the brightest blue eyes Magnus had ever seen. Hodur, being Balder's twin, looked practically the same, although his eyes were clouded and sightless.

"Uh," Magnus muttered. "I'm a friend set by the Norns." He looked down at the spasming multicolored flower and the stack of books underneath it. "And that's my proof, I guess?"

Immediately, Balder let go of his brothers hand and rushed forward to grab the moving plant. He looked over it for a few moments, before looking back a Hodur.

"I suppose this is what father meant when he said there'd be more guest's, huh?" The blind god chuckled. "I'm Hodur, if you wished to know, and that's my older brother, Baulder."

"It's nice to, uh, see you again." Magnus mumbled, as the gods regrouped, taking the flower with them.

"Your friends arrived a few hours ago," Baulder explained. "You'll be able to see them when we bring you to the council."

Instantly, the son of Frey's breath caught. He nodded shakily and reached down to grab the books. "Lead the way."


	3. In Which Magnus Interrupts a Meeting

Magnus had never actually seen an official Norse council, seeing as they didn't really happen by the time she was born, and, as far as Sam told him, they were hectic.

Still, he hadn't planned to hear the shouting from a hall away. He was almost scared to open the giant wooden doors that led into the conference room, but Balder didn't even seem to be surprised. (Neither did Hodur, but at least _he_ had a reaction, even if all he did was mumble, "Of course." under his breath.)

He wasn't even prepared to _see_ the gods, much less actually _talk_ to them. The last he had seen of them was their deaths, after all.

"You okay?" Hodur asked him softly as his twin went to work of the several locks that held the door closed.

Magnus breathed in a shaky sigh. His breaths were coming in soft puffs and his eyes kept darting over the five locks that Balder had already unlocked. He choked out a small cough and furiously wiped his eyes. His friends were supposed to be younger, right? How much younger? Before they went on their quests? After? He tried to find every possible outcome.

"Hey," Hodur patted his arm lightly, bringing him back to reality. "You need to calm down. At least keep your meltdown on the lowdown until we get into the conference room, then Frey and Freya can help you." Magnus let out a soft sob at his father's name. He may not have been the best parent, but he had died to protect Magnus in the final battle, so he wasn't a total deadbeat.

"Yeah, yeah, okay." He wiped at his eyes again and steeled himself. _C'mon Magnus, you're tougher than this._ He didn't really feel tough, though. In his gray jeggings and the green "I a catch, so put me back" T-shirt that Alex had bought him for his 57th birthday. His rune tattoo was on full display because of it, and he really wished he had better clothes since they were pretty singed and he felt too exposed. "I'm usually better than this, sorry."

"It's fine." Hodur smiled, although it had a grim touch to it. "From what I can tell, the future doesn't sound very good."

"Believe me, it's not." The two waited in silence for Balder to finish the 20th lock, which was bright pink and sparked to brightly, even if there was no harsh light. (The key was lime green and it reminded Magnus of the suit Alex wore for Sam and Amir's wedding.)

The doors swung open, and with them, the harsh sounds from inside finally warped into voices.

"I think we should-"

"...FIGHT!"

"Cal-"

"Let's wait-"

The room was circular and huge, with eight 9-foot tall thrones and a smaller, medium-sized throne off the left of one of them. A white table was spread out in front of the seats, and in front of it was seven much smaller chairs. The gods took up most of the room and were the ones arguing, but Magnus' eyes were, instead, drawn to the smaller chairs.

His friends were as young and alive as he remembered them to be, and that made his legs start shaking. He nearly fell to the side, but Balder grabbed him and gave an encouraging smile.

"Ready?" He mouthed. Magnus straightened up and did his best to calm his shaking. _I've been through Hel, I can manage seeing my friends again._ He thought. Balder whistled, and instantly everyone's eyes darted towards them. Magnus caught Alex's duel-tones eyes and saw as confusion swirled in them.

"We have found the last visitor, Father," Hodur said softly, to which his brother nodded.

"He appeared in the middle of the 10th hallway," Balder showed them the flower.

Odin, the All-Father, straightened. He looked a lot different then Magnus had ever seen him. For one thing, he wasn't wearing an eye patch, and instead, his bright blues were on full display. His throne was a pale replica of the High throne, much like all the others, but he also had carvings etched into it. By his side, Frigg looked pale and welcoming, without the tear tracks that had normally marred her face.

"I see!" Odin announced. "So this is the young demigod that survived the end of the world?" Magnus did his best to bow to him without dropping the books onto the floor. "State your name, little one, then join your friends."

"Magnus Chase." He said, giving the books to Balder as the young god opened his arms for them. "And yeah, I'm from the end of R-Ragnarok."

Another chair appeared, but before he could move to sit on it, Frey was in front of him. Magnus flinched. The last time he'd seen his father, he was half melted, his skin peeling like liquid off of pure white bones and his green eyes wide with utter horror.

"You're injured." He said, narrowing his eyes.

"I just cam from Ragnarok," Magnus repeated. "Huge battle. Lots of fighting." Frey sighed and moved to put his hands on his (unknown) sons back. Magnus backed out of the way with distrusting eyes.

"The wounds closed." He muttered. "I'll be fine." He moved around the Lord of Vanaheim so he could get to his friend.

Sam was the first to speak.

"Magnus?" She asked, her voice was fearful and confused. "What do you mean, Ragnarok? You were just with us not 3 hours ago."

"On your quest," T.J added. "For the Hammer."

Magnus shrugged, trying to ignoring the stinging in his eyes. "It's been a couple years, for me."

They looked like they wanted to say more, but Frigg silenced them with a wave of her hand, awkwardly watching as Frey slowly walked back to his seat. "The Norns have requested we read these books," She said. "Starting with this one." She pulled a book off the pile. "Who would like to read first?"

"Wait!" Magnus called. "What about Hearth? He's deaf." Hearth waved his hands.

' _Magic implants.'_ He signed. " _Vibrations. Can hear words while in the room.'_ Magnus nodded dumbly. Was that how they made sure gods like Hodur could tell things apart?

"I'll read," Balder suggest. "Since I found him." Thor clapped his brother on the back and grinned.

"Be brave, brother!" Magnus' eyes settled on Loki for a moment, and hardened, before looking over and realizing that both Alex and Sam were glaring at there parent in anger.

Frigg rolled her eyes fondly but handed Balder the book.

"We'll be talking, after this," Mallory promised, glaring at Magnus. "Trust me on that."

Magnus gulped but nodded.

" **Chapter 1."** Balder read carefully. " **Good Morning! You're Going to Die."**

Suddenly, Alex snickered. "Of course it starts with this." Magnus scoffed. "The sarcasm is real with this one."

"What do you expect?" Blitz asked. "It's Magnus."

"Butterflies and rainbows."

"Yeah," Magnus scoffed. "How 'bout no." Then he sighed. He missed his friends so much, but he also had the feeling that he didn't really know what he was getting into.


End file.
